Ranging in coverage from humble cottages to grand villas‎,‎ this encyclopaedia was compiled by the Scottish landscape gardener John Claudius Loudon ‎(‎1783‎-1843‎)‎‎.‎ Its ambition‎,‎ as stated in the introduction‎,‎ was ‎'‎to improve the dwellings of the great mass of society‎'‎‎.‎ Hundreds of types of rural abode are delineated here by Loudon and his contributors‎,‎ and the text is greatly enhanced by more than 2‎,‎000 illustrations‎.‎ Later sections examine the subject of fixtures and furnishings ‎- from cornices to carpets ‎- and explain which types were considered appropriate for a particular style of house‎.‎ Space is also devoted to the principles of architectural criticism‎.‎ For historians and lovers of architecture and interior design‎,‎ this substantial resource‎,‎ published in 1833‎,‎ sheds light on the fashions and theories of the early nineteenth century‎.‎